To get this app to run locally

1. You need to create a new Okta developer acount
2. Once you have a developer acount, log into it and above the Okta logo on the top left corner you should see < > Developer Console, hover over it and you should be able to see Classic UI. Switch to Classic UI.
3. Once in classic UI go to applications and add applications -> create new application.
4. Select the following
5. Name your app
6. SAML options - Replace the sso/recipient/destination URL with the url for your app
7. Once your app is setup go to sign on page and read the instructions. Click the button to view setup instructions
8. You need all the info in the setup instructions,
9. Identity Provider Single Sign-On URL, x.509 certificate, idp issuer.
10. Set the IDP SSO URL from step 9 to SAML_ENTRY_POINT in your .env
11. npm install
12. npm start
13. If your app is running on localhost this process won't work, try tunneling using ngrok or localtunnel that should be the url to use in step 6.
14. 

SAML NOTES

• XML based

• SP - Service Provider (the app)

• IDP - Identity Provider (entity providing the identities. Eg: Okta)

• SAML request/Authentication Request (request made by SP to IDP to request authentication)

• SAML response/assertion - generated by IDP, contains actual assertion of the authenticated user. May contain additional information.

• SP never directly interacts with IDP

• SP needs to know which IDP to redirect to before it knows who the user is

• SP does not know who the user is until SAML assertion comes back from the IDP

• SAML authentication flow is asynchronous, no state maintained by IDP

• In order to know that the assertion came from a valid IDP the app needs

• Certificate: Get a public certificate from IDP to validate the signature. Store certificate server side.

• ACS endpoint - Assertion consumer service URL - app login URL - this is where the saml responses will be posted. Need to provide to IDP (step 6 in the diagram below).

• IDP login URL - This is the endpoint on the IDP side where SAML requests are posted (step 4 in the diagram below).

• User tries to log on > app generates SAML request then sends to browser for deep links set RelayState value to redirect